RCS dropping like flies after molting?!

I did a water change a couple days ago and the day after, the shrimps were molting. I was aware that they tend to molt after water changes so I wasn't worried.

Then this morning, I see two dead shrimp bodies (bodies, not molts). And then I continue to see them die. I saw one upside down barely living and now it's dead. I'm not sure why.

Water parameters: 0, 0, 5.
I added tetrapride which I never had a problem with before, liquid calcium, and prime to remove chlorine and heavy metals.
It's a ten gallon and the only inhabitants are the shrimp and a separated Betta. It is planted and at a temperature of 80.


I'm just not sure why they're dying. Any ideas?

 

RCS are very sensitive to copper. Perhaps there is copper in your water? Also, have you added any live plants recently?

 

I'll test it for copper. I'm pretty sure my water doesn't contain copper.

Besides the plants I ordered with the RCS, I added nothing after they were in the tank.

 

how long have you had them? have you sprayed anything near the tank..like air spray or something?

 

Nope. I never spray any air freshened or even lit a candle near the tank

 

Where did you order them from? How long have you had them? RCS are usually one of the tougher shrimp. How long has your tank been cycled? Any other tank mates?

 

Whoops I forgot to answer jeri's first question. I had them for about 1 and a half weeks. I got them from ZeeZ and there isn't any other tank mates. The tank has been cycled for half a year or so.

 

how long has the tank been set up? type of filtration?

 

Oh, no! I'm really sorry to see that.

Did you add enough dechlorinator? I lost a Starlight Bristlenose Pleco once when I hadn't added enough dechlorinator to a bucket of water and quickly solved the problem when I added more but it was already too late.

EDIT: Filter could be a culprit. If it's a HOB, then it's too strong for RCS. You can add a prefilter if that's the case...

 

ZeeZ has some good quality shrimp and plants. The only things I can think of is either your water got contaminated somewhere or you don't have enough calcium for them. Perhaps somebody else will have more possibilities or solutions.

 

I took a break from fish 3 years back and I set up the tank again. Its been set up for about a year.

I have a tetra whisper for a 10 gallon and an AC 20. The intake tubes are covered.

Oh, no! I'm really sorry to see that.

Did you add enough dechlorinator? I lost a Starlight Bristlenose Pleco once when I hadn't added enough dechlorinator to a bucket of water and quickly solved the problem when I added more but it was already too late.

EDIT: Filter could be a culprit. If it's a HOB, then it's too strong for RCS. You can add a prefilter if that's the case...

Yeah a little bit of a bummer. I usually add a little more than less.
What's a prefilter?

ZeeZ has some good quality shrimp and plants. The only things I can think of is either your water got contaminated somewhere or you don't have enough calcium for them. Perhaps somebody else will have more possibilities or solutions.

Yeah. I'd understand if I got them from a LFS but I didn't
That's what I'm thinking too..

Btw sorry for the multiple post, I'm on my phone so it's harder to post multiple posts in one post.

 

A prefilter is this, a sponge covering the intake -



Credit: Sean Yuki


Honestly, it could be for a variety of reasons... You're going to have to eliminate the possible problems one by one.

 

I have sponges over the intake tubes of my HOB filters so I don't think that is the reason

I guess it's just a mystery death situation

 

How are they doing?

 

I certainly don't see as much of them but the remaining ones look fine at the moment.

 

Hopefully that's the end of it and they can get back to business.

 

Could it have been a ph difference? When you changed the water?

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Maybe they just didn't moult properly?

 

The pH is 7.2 after 24 hours with the airstone and it's 7.2 in the tank. So I don't think the pH could of crashed.

They molted and were fine for like two days. And their molts were in the tank :/ so it's not that either